Chapter 10 Tough Task
Stephanie hesitated for a heartbeat, then rushed forward.
“Jonny, I can help Natalie-
Before the words could leave her lips, the door slammed shut, the sound sharp and final.
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Behind her, the air thickened, charged with an undeniable weight. It was as if the room held its breath, waiting for something
to snap.
Thanks for the help, manager. Natalie flicked her long, dark hair to one side, her movement deliberate.
Her skin was as pale as alabaster, and the soft curve of her back beneath the dress seemed to draw every eye. The fabric clung to her slender waist, accentuating her figure in a way that was hard to ignore.
Jonathan’s breath caught in his chest. His usually calm eyes were now dark, stormy. The usual chill in his gaze was replaced with an icy.fire.
If he hadn’t stepped in, someone else would have seen her like this.
The thought hit him with the force of a strike, and a wave of heat surged through him.
But what right did he have to feel this way?
She’d made it clear–even if every man on Earth vanished, she still wouldn’t turn to him. Just like before, when she called the male manager instead of him.
He clenched his jaw, suppressing the fire building inside. His hands stiffened as he reached to zip her dress, his movements mechanical.
Just as his fingers brushed the door handle, a loud click echoed through the room. The door locked from the other side. trapping him.
Before he could react, he was pushed back into the chair, a weight settling firmly on his lap.
Looking up, he saw Natalie perched on him, the soft fabric of her one–shoulder dress falling just right. Her hands, deft and quick, wrapped a jeweled belt around his wrists, securing them in place.
“Mad, are you?” Her voice was teasing
She’d known it was him all along, of course.
This was a game, a teasing dance she’d been playing. But she hadn’t expected him to remain so…
composed. So still.
Jonathan’s face remained impassive, the same cold mask he always wore. He let out a quiet breath. “You’re imagining things.
He was as stubborn as ever, a wall of stone–unyielding and unmoved.
At least, if someone had to know her comment about him, that would be her answer.
But Natalie wasn’t concerned.
If he was angry, she knew exactly how to handle him.
He made a move to stand, but as he did, she slipped, almost falling from his lap.
Instinct kicked in. His arms shot out, pulling her back, holding her close.
And then, before he could even think, her lips brushed against his, soft and fleeting, sending a shock through his body.
She pressed her lips to his–soft, lingering. The kiss was playful, yet probing, innocent yet entangling. It was a dance of sorts, a delicate push and pull that left him suspended in a fog of confusion.
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Chapter 10 Tough Task
Time felt like it stopped.
No, Jonathan’s world had stopped.
His eyes were wide, his mind racing.
Was she really kissing him?
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When her sweet lips finally parted, he snapped back to reality, a strange, hollow feeling settling in his chest. Disappointment, sharp and sudden.
“Can I sleep in our room tonight? I’m scared alone…”
Her voice was a soft plea, vulnerable, eyes wide like a doe caught in headlights.
Scared! Jonathan couldn’t believe it.
He’d seen her sleep like a queen on her own before.
—
But the
way she looked at him–eyes brimming with something almost too real to ignore he couldn’t bring himself to turn her down.
After they’d finished shopping, Bartemius called. Business needed Jonathan’s attention.
He left with the kids, and just like that, Stephanie seized the moment to strike.
“Natalie, you’ll never be good enough for Jonny. Stop clinging to him like some pathetic parasite. You think it’s fine, but trust me, I’m disgusted,” she spat.
Jonny already talked about divorcing you. How can you be so shameless?”
Before she could finish, a cold glass of water splashed across her face.
With casual elegance, Natalie wiped her hands with a napkin. “Divorce talk and being divorced are two very different things. If you can’t understand that, let me spell it out for you.”
With a swift flick of her wrist, the wet towel landed squarely on Stephanie’s face. “As long as Jonathan and I are not divorced, we’re still married. You can stomp your feet all you like, but you’ll always be just a fool in love.”
Stephanie’s face twisted in disbelief.
Natalie’s words were sharp, precise, like a scalpel cutting through the bullshit.
Stephanie had expected to be called the other woman. Instead, she was labeled a ‘fool in love.”
What did that mean? A fool obsessed with someone who could never love her back.
It wasn’t a curse, It was just a fact. No foul language. Yet, it shattered her dignity, leaving her raw
Her venomous threats felt meaningless in the face of Natalie’s calm.
“Natalie, I’ll get you kicked out of the Hyperions. I’ll take your place as Mrs. Hyperion.”
Something snapped inside Stephanie. She raised her hand, slapped her own face with a force that made a loud crack, then staggered backward, pretending to lose her balance.
“Natalie, why did you hit me?” she cried, acting wounded, but it was too obvious.
Through the refracted glass, Natalie caught sight of Jonathan striding toward their table, his movements brisk, purposeful.
She couldn’t help herself. A sly grin tugged at her lips. “I know you’re not the sharpest tool in the shed, but you don’t need to keep proving it to me.”
Before Stephanie could even register what was happening, Natalie snatched up the wine glass, drained it in one swift motion, and, with a cold precision, slapped her across the face.
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Chapter 10 Tough Task
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“What the hell are you doing. Natalie?” Jonathan’s voice sliced through the tension as he grabbed her wrist, halting her before another strike could land.
Stephanie’s mouth fell open in protest, but Natalie beat her to it, her voice smooth and deadly.
*Stephanie here says she’s the true mistress of the Hyperions. That you’re divorcing me to marry her.”
Natalie didn’t hesitate, not one bit. If Stephanie thought she could shift the blame, Natalie would make sure the truth was thrown back at her. With the same calm composure, she made her accusation loud and clear.
Stephanie’s eyes went wide, and her skin drained of color. “Jonny, I didn’t—”
Natalie’s gaze leave.”
flickered with a barely contained emotion. “Jonathan, if you’re divorcing me to marry Stephanie… then fine. I’ll
Her checks flushed a deep red from the wine, her lips–the very same ones that had kissed him only hours before–now a richer, more intoxicating shade. As she tried to rise, her legs wobbled, a slight stumble betraying the effects of the alcohol.
Jonathan’s brow furrowed, a concern edging into his expression.
How
How much had she had to drink?
Without hesitation, he moved to support her, wrapping his arm around her waist, lifting her effortlessly.
Natalie melted against him, her body relaxed, calm, like a weightless presence.
“Wait!” Stephanie’s voice cut through the stillness as she scrambled after them. Jonny, where are you going?”
Jonathan’s gaze remained as cold and distant as ever. “Natalie’s drunk. I’m taking her home.“.
Stephanie’s face twisted with frustration, her eyes sharp. “What about me?”
Jonathan didn’t miss a beat, his voice cutting through her anger like a knife. “I called Jeremiah. He’s coming to get you. You’d better watch what you say from now on. I’ve been clear. There’s nothing between us.”
He glanced at Bartemius, who immediately handed him a check–enough to make a sizable dent in anyone’s pride.
“I apologize on Natalie’s behalf. Consider this payment for emotional distress. From tomorrow onward, you won’t be welcome in my home.
The words hit like a hammer. Stephanie stood frozen, her mouth agape, the shock on her face undeniable.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She had planned it all–get Jonathan to see Natalie’s supposed violence, make him pity her. Instead, here she was, tossed out of the Hyperions‘ place.
Unseen by Stephanie, Natalie’s eyes flicked over to her, watching the spectacle with quiet amusement.
The sympathy act, the one Stephanie played to garner pity, never worked on everyone.
She wasn’t Jonathan’s dream girl, nor was she the one he longed for. Even if she were slapped in the face, he wouldn’t rush to console her not the way he would with someone he truly cared about.
–
But Stephanie didn’t get that. She couldn’t fathom why Jonathan wasn’t moved.
As Jonathan carried Natalie out, he crossed paths with Jeremiah, who had arrived to pick up Stephanie.
Jeremiah’s gaze skimmed over Jonathan but lingered on Natalie. There was something he wanted to say, but he swallowed it, biting his tongue.
“Where’s my sister?”
Upstairs.”
Jeremiah made his way upstairs and found Stephanie sitting on the floor, tears staining her cheeks.
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Chapter 10 Tough Task
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“Give it up. You’re not going to outsmart Natalie,” he said, shedding his coat and draping it over her shoulders. His voice was soft, almost apologetic, but he wasn’t sure how much it would really help.
The look he’d caught earlier told him all he needed to know–Natalie wasn’t drunk.
Stephanie’s eyes flared with stubborn defiance. “Jeremy, you’re a coward. I’m not
Jeremiah stayed silent, but his mind drifted to the way Natalie had nestled into Jonathan’s arms earlier.
It wasn’t cowardice. It was something simpler and sharper–he knew, no matter how much he wanted it, Natalie would never love him the way he wanted her to.
them, one he
In the Hyperion Residence, Natalie, feigning intoxication, could feel Jonathan’s careful attention.
His touch was precise, practiced, as if tending to her were second nature.
She waited until she was sure he had left the room before she opened her eyes.
But Jonathan wasn’t asleep.
There was a distance between them–he cared for her, but it was as if an invisible barrier stretched between refused to lower.
And that barrier? Jacques.
Footsteps echoed from outside. She quickly lay back down.
Two sets of footsteps, uneven, both growing louder.
Jonathan, even after six years of Natalie hurting you, you’ve never hated her, have you?”
No answer.
“Then why not explain to her that the divorce is to protect us, not because of Stephanie?”
“She doesn’t need to know that. Once Eve’s better, we’ll still get a divorce.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll find you a smart, beautiful woman to marry.”
“Ridiculous,”
I’m serious.
After the father and son left, Natalie’s eyes fell on a bowl of hangover cure on the nightstand. She drank the broth in a few swallows, the warmth sinking into her bones.
A heavy sigh escaped her lips.
Chasing after her husband had been a never–ending struggle.
But now, with a son who saw her as the enemy, it felt like the fight was rigged. He wasn’t just determined to humiliate her; he seemed dead set on finding his father a new wife.
